The Twilight
by Dysfunctional Mastermind
Summary: Pain. All that he registered, all that he consisted of - it was pain. Now becoming a collection of loosely-connected One-Shots that may develop into a story. May also slightly crossover with other Star Wars-related media. Rating Changed to T for possible future chapters.
1. The Twilight: Part I, Confrontations

**A/N: Oneshot because I was inspired by** ** _Twilight of the Apprentice._** **So, yeah. Enjoy something of my view.**

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Darth Vader was... intrigued, would be the best way to put it. A mere child, a boy, had figured out the secrets to the Sith Temple, and activated it. Most intriguing. Vader, standing atop a ship, jumped down and landed before the boy in question. His tall, imposing form cast a shadow upon the boy. Vader's breath was audible, as always; it resounded slightly. Vader's emotionless mask pierced into the boy's very being. The boy activated his saber. Vader did so in turn.

" **You have unlocked the secret of the Temple. How did** ** _you_** **accomplish this?** ", Vader questioned the boy.

"You're smart, figure it out!", the boy retorted. Vader slashed down upon the boy, clashing sabers with the mere padawan. He was larger than the padawan, and so the boy was being pushed back by the strength.

" **No matter. The power within will soon serve the Emperor.** "

"I don't fear you."

" **Then you will die braver than most.** "

Vader brought down his saber, landing a powerful blow; the boy seemed to be pushed slightly by blocking it. It took merely a few slashes to end the battle, Vader having destroyed the foolish boy's saber; it lay on the ground, destroyed. Vader approached the boy, who scurried along the ground, moving away in fear.

" **Perhaps I was wrong.** "

Vader raised his red saber, about to bring it down, when suddenly-

"It wouldn't be the first time."

That voice. _Her_ voice. Vader turned to face the newcomer. Anakin Skywalker's apprentice, Ahsoka Tano. She stared at him.

" **It was foretold that you would be here. Our long awaited meeting has come at last.** "

"I'm glad I gave you something to look forward to."

" **We need not be adversaries. The Emperor will show you mercy, if you can tell me where the remaining** ** _Jedi_** **can be found.** "

"There are no Jedi! You and your Inquisitors have seen to that!"

" **Perhaps this** ** _child_** **will confess what you will not.** "

"I was beginning to believe I _knew_ who you were - behind that mask. But it's impossible. My master could never be as vile as you."

" **Anakin Skywalker was weak.** ** _I destroyed him._** "

" _Then I will avenge his death_."

" **Revenge is** ** _not_** **the Jedi way.** "

"I'm no Jedi."

With that, their conversation ended. Vader and Ahsoka entered a fierce saber duel. Force blows were exchanged, as well. Vader battled her out of the Temple. Eventually, his power overwhelmed her and he pushed her over the side of a temple cliff ledge. Vader turned his attention once more into the Temple, wherein the other jedi and the boy were still in the process of retrieving the Holocron.

Vader walked slowly into the Temple. A shockwave emanated for a moment from the Holocron being taken. Vader slid back only slightly, but managed to hold his footing. As the master and his youngling were going to leave, Vader reached out with the Force; gripping to the Holocron. He was pulling the boy - his master dragging behind him - along with the Holocron.

Then, he sensed Ahsoka behind him - and heard the footsteps. He turned, slashing at her. She managed to deflect it, and slashed at his face. Vader tumbled over slightly as Ahsoka jumped away. Vader landed on his knees, his saber deactivated. He gripped onto his saber, breathing in a labored fashion. His mask was broken. He felt the stinging air around him, hitting his face- his eye. It burned him. It reminded him of the burning of Mustafar. It reminded him of who he was. The boy and the master were leaving. As Ahsoka started to rise, Vader managed to speak.

" _ **Ahsoka.**_ ", his breath hitching slightly as he struggled. The mask broken, he was breathing pure air for the first time in a while. It didn't harm him, much; at least, to his knowledge. Ahsoka seemed to flinch as he spoke her name, he knew. He knew she had come to realize something. He felt great pain in the Force; Ahsoka's pain. Emotional pain. Ahsoka turned to face him. Vader looked at her, his damaged mask revealing some of his skin, and his molten eye.

" _Ahsoka._ ", Vader said once more; his voice less disguised and hidden, sounding like a more mechanical Anakin Skywalker than the fearsome Vader. Ahsoka looked distraught, almost. Fear, pain, remorse, regret all flashed through her.

"Anakin?", she questioned. Vader hated that name. It reminded him of the pain. Of Padme. Of the betrayal. Of everyone who turned against him and treated him like a slave. Vader rose as Ahsoka did, looking straight at her, as she looked at him.

"I won't leave you! Not this time.", Ahsoka said. What did that mean? Vader stared at her, his eyebrow raising slightly. Was she going to join him? To return to him? Her body language said otherwise. She felt like Obi-Wan did on Mustafar. She was going to betray him - to kill him. For what reason? Anakin- no, Anakin was gone. Vader was here now. He remembered that. She could never join him. The Emperor wouldn't accept it. And she was a traitor, a Jedi, a liar. She had left him before. She was lying to him - trying to deceive him. He would not have it. Vader scowled, his molten eye narrowing at Ahsoka.

" _Then you will die._ ", hearing those words leave his mask in Anakin Skywalker's voice made Vader disgusted. Ahsoka, looking determined, watched as Vader approached. The boy cried Ahsoka's name, trying to come for her; Ahsoka forcepushed him out of the temple as the temple doors finished closing completely. Vader slashed down at her, and she blocked it by crossing her sabers behind her; igniting them. They fought for a few seconds, before suddenly-

The shockwave destroyed the temple. Vader's saber, as well as Ahsoka's, were extremely damaged. The shockwave also damaged his armor slightly more, hardening his ability to breathe. Ahsoka looked at him with pity as she rose again, the blast having slightly injured her. Vader stared at her as he rose as well. For a moment, his gaze softened. He remembered something...

 _"I would never let anyone hurt you, Ahsoka._ _Never."_

The memory burned into his memory. Anakin looked at her with sadness, the pain and grief returning to him of losing Padme. He remembered the times when he cared, when he was with her and with Ahsoka. Vader's eye narrowed once more as his eye became a deeper molten color; the memories hurt. The memories hurt him and he didn't want them! Anakin was dead; he was Vader now.

" _You should hope we do not cross paths again._ ", was all he said to her. Vader began to limp, his mechanical legs damaged. He limped out of the Temple, leaving Ahsoka and what remained of his past behind forever. Ahsoka let tears fall from her face; he could hear her crying softly. Vader kept moving forward, not looking back. Ahsoka cast one more glance at Vader, her eyes full of tears.

"Goodbye, Anakin.", she said, turning. She waked deeper into the now destroyed Temple, hoping to meditate on the Force and figure something out. She knew she couldn't return to the Rebels. She knew that Anakin was warning her that if they met again, it would mean her death. Vader kept walking slowly, his molten eye full of rage, hatred and... grief. Incomprehensible amounts of grief. Only one tear fell down his cheek as he walked. Vader kept walking...trying to get far, far away from the only reminder to his past alive.

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 **A/N: This is a oneshot, sadly. I just felt the need to write this. My perspective on things...**


	2. The Twilight: Part II, Aftermath: Vader

**A/N: I've decided to turn this into a collection of One-Shots that will be loosely-connected at first, but may evolve into a story. There will be references to EU/Legends-Canon as well. The first one was based on an episode; future ones will be based on my views, or what my mind makes up - this means it might end up non-canon or AU-ish. Enjoy. As for any fans of my other story,** ** _Gods and Titans_** **, that will be updated as soon as I finish the chapter for it.**

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Pain. All that he registered, all that he consisted of - it was pain. Agonizing, brutish, indecipherable pain. Pain for the lost, pain for himself, pain for those who had yet to lose. Pain. It ate away at his core, his very being.

Such was life when your entire existence depended upon a life support suit that doubled as armor. Darth Vader was receiving repairs to his armor as well as his cybernetic nerves, among other maintenance. This process tended to be painful. It was as if the lava of Mustafar's rivers had never left him, and were still eating at him.

Darth Vader was starting to become particularly enraged at the fact that he had been reduced to such a state. As he dwelt on this train of thought, he thought once more of Padme. Of Obi-Wan. Of Ahsoka.

All of his mistakes, his _failures._ They fueled the fire that tortured him. The raw burning emotions were stirred cold throughout, burning hot mixing with ice cold. Lord Vader's repairs were now finished. He now left the reparation chambers, headed to the communications room on the bridge of the _Executor._

Upon his entrance, he knelt upon the pad in front of the holographic projector. The Emperor's visage came before him, the blue glow reflecting slightly upon his armor.

" **Ahsoka Tano has been dealt with.** ", Vader stated coldly. The Emperor seemed to look over Vader for a long moment, as if judging his statement. Then, after a moment of silence, Sidious smiled.

"Lord Vader. You have done well. It is a... pity that the former apprentice of Anakin Skywalker had to die. She could have been useful to us. What of the Rebels?"

" **They will be tracked down and destroyed, Master.** "

"And... what of the... _other_ issue?"

" **I will personally see to Maul's demise, if that is your wish, Master.** "

"Excellent. See that you do not fail me, Vader."

" **As you wish, Master.** "

With that, the holographic form of the Emperor disappeared. Vader stood tall. He began to ponder why he felt compelled to tell his master that Ahsoka was dead. It didn't matter - that was a weakness, and he wouldn't let it bother him. Vader felt the burning pain whenever he thought of it anyways. He left the room, and then headed for the main bridge to contemplate his next move against Maul and the Rebels.


End file.
